Dalian Professional

Dalian Professional
Clubname	Dalian Professional
Fullname	Dalian Professional Football Club
Founded	2009 (as Dalian Aerbin)
Ground	Dalian Sports Centre Stadium
Capacity	61,000
League	Chinese Super League

Dalian Professional is a professional association football club based in Dalian, Liaoning. The club competes in the Chinese Super League and plays home matches at the Dalian Sports Centre Stadium. Over its history the club has featured players and coaches with connections to Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Italy, Portugal and other international footballing nations, while participating in domestic competitions and continental tournaments such as the AFC Champions League.

History

The club was established in 2009 during a period of rapid expansion in Chinese football that involved entities from Liaoning and investors from Dalian. Early seasons saw promotion campaigns that drew attention from figures associated with Chinese Super League expansion projects and legacy clubs like Dalian Shide. During the 2010s the club engaged managers and players who previously worked with organizations such as Beijing Guoan, Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao, Shanghai SIPG, and foreign coaches from backgrounds including Portugal national football team and Spain national football team systems. The team competed in cup competitions like the Chinese FA Cup and qualified for editions of the AFC Champions League, matching up against clubs such as Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Urawa Red Diamonds, Kashima Antlers, and Guangzhou Evergrande. Corporate ownership and investment links connected the club to companies operating in sectors associated with Dalian Wanda Group and other Chinese conglomerates. The club’s trajectory included managerial appointments with experience in Serie A, La Liga, Primeira Liga, and Brasileirão, reflecting the globalization of the Chinese Super League through the 2010s and 2020s.

Stadium and Facilities

Home fixtures are staged at the Dalian Sports Centre Stadium, a venue located in Dalian designed to host large-scale sporting events and concerts alongside fixtures for clubs across Liaoning. The stadium has hosted international friendlies involving national teams such as China national football team and visiting sides from Japan national football team and South Korea national football team. Training infrastructure has been developed in collaboration with local municipal bodies and sporting institutes allied with institutions like Dongbei University of Finance and Economics and sports academies linked to Liaoning Sports Bureau. The complex has been used for youth development programs connected to regional competitions like the Chinese Youth Super League and talent identification events featuring scouts from UEFA and CONMEBOL affiliated clubs.

Crest, Colors and Kit

The club’s crest and playing kit reflect maritime and industrial motifs associated with the port city of Dalian and the coastal province of Liaoning. Home colors have traditionally included blue and white combinations similar to color schemes used by clubs such as Marseille and Napoli; away and third kits have incorporated alternate palettes referencing sponsors and owner branding like enterprises comparable to Group Dalian and multinational partners. Kit suppliers and commercial partners over time have included internationally recognized manufacturers who also outfit teams such as Manchester United, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, and Juventus for sponsorship activation in the Chinese market.

Ownership and Management

Ownership structures have featured corporate stakeholders and private investors with interests across sectors similar to entities such as Dalian Wanda Group, Evergrande Group, and other conglomerates that have participated in Chinese football ownership. The executive and sporting director roles have been filled by individuals with experience in organizations like FIFA, AFC, and professional clubs in Europe and South America. Managerial appointments have at times included coaches previously active in competitions like La Liga, Serie A, Primeira Liga, and managerial networks that produced names associated with UEFA Champions League campaigns.

Players and Squad

The first-team squad has combined domestic talent developed through academies in Liaoning and players recruited from abroad with prior experience at clubs such as Cruzeiro, Benfica, Sevilla FC, AC Milan, and Vasco da Gama. International players who have worn the club shirt have included those capped by national teams like Brazil national football team, Argentina national football team, Portugal national football team, and Cameroon national football team. Youth graduates have moved on to represent provincial selections and national age-group sides such as China U-23 national football team, while foreign signings have sometimes arrived from leagues including J1 League, K League 1, MLS, and Eredivisie.

Records and Statistics

Seasonal performance metrics include outcomes in the Chinese Super League, promotions and relegations between divisions comparable to China League One, and cup runs in the Chinese FA Cup. The club’s statistical leaders encompass goal-scorers and appearance-makers whose career paths intersect with transfers involving clubs such as Guangzhou Evergrande, Shandong Taishan, Shanghai Shenhua, and international moves to European clubs. Continental match results have been recorded against AFC opponents from Japan, South Korea, Australia and Saudi Arabia.

Rivalries and Supporters

Local and regional rivalries have involved fixtures against clubs originating in nearby cities and provinces, including historic matchups with teams linked to Dalian Shide, Shenyang Dongjin, Shandong Taishan, and metropolitan rivals from Shanghai and Beijing. Supporter culture includes organized fan groups that coordinate displays and attendances comparable to ultras associated with clubs such as Beijing Guoan Supporters', Guangzhou Evergrande Fan Club, and matchday supporter initiatives seen in European football and South American football contexts. The club has engaged in community outreach with municipal partners like Dalian Municipal Government and sports development programs supported by provincial sports authorities.

Category:Football clubs in China Category:Sport in Dalian